3D printer

Fancy yourself a superhero? Marvel and Hasbro have kicked off a new partnership with 3DPlusMe that will allow anyone to get their face 3D-printed on a superhero's body...assuming they're near one of the Walmarts or Sam's Clubs that are participating.

Spinal injuries are often life-changing, and the solutions are decidedly archaic, sometimes involving surgical cement and screws. The future is finally upon us, however, and with it comes the first implanted 3D printed vertebra. Using 3D printing, the vertebra is designed to match the patient's spine.

Who needs a house when they can have a castle? Enthusiast Andrey Rudenko has 3D printed his own castle out of concrete, and though it isn't outfitted as a complete home, it would make quite the spectacular man cave or playhouse. The castle was printed 10mm at a time.

Selective Laser Sintering 3D printers, more commonly called SLS 3D printers, have long been the most expensive among 3D printing technologies, not the least of which was due to the existence of many patents related to the tech. With those patents expiring this year, the cost of these printers -- though certainly not "budget-friendly" in the traditional sense -- have seen a drastic drop in price.

In an initiative called "SuperFanArt", Hasbro has teamed up with Shapeways to create a portal through which fans of Hasbro’s characters can create and sell their own 3D-printed toys. The first line to have its license opened to fans through this program is My Little Pony. This should appeal to some of the stranger fans out in the fan universe - but Hasbro’s collection has some far larger names in the mix as well.

The filament used for 3D printing is useful, but not terribly interesting. Others have taken to printing using other substances, some for notable purposes, others more or less for novelty. The 3D pancake printer is one such machine, but in recent times MIT students have trumped it.

Home Depot is looking to get you into the 3D printing game, adding MakerBot's Replicator 3D printers to its inventory. If you happen to live near one of the select stores carrying the machine, you can grab it in person, but otherwise it is available through the hardware store's website.

Can you 3D print a car? Sure you can! Local Motors, who have been working with the public for years in bringing their designs to the road. Dubbing their method “co-creation”, they also use “micro-manufacturing” to get you your vehicle (and even let you pitch in on the build). A contest of theirs to design a 3D printed, electric vehicle has just wrapped, but the submitted designs were phenomenal.

MakerBot, the company leading the charge to get 3D printing everywhere, has announced their Replicator Z18 printer is ready to ship. For those who backed the device early on via pre-order, shipments will start going out soon. MakerBot says they’re working down the order sheet, sending out printers as soon as they’re ready to go.

CreoPop's 3D printing pen has begun its crowdfunding campaign, with the cool-running stylus taking on 3Doodler and others with its unusual ink. The pen - which we played with in prototype form earlier this month - allows for freehand sketching of 3D objects, but unlike other such startups uses a completely cold ink that's set with ultraviolet light.